The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-05-22
FOR ODD FELLOWS ONLY.
QUEER PROVISIONS OF AN OHIO
INSURANCE COMPANY.

Methods of Operation-What the
Company Purports To Do-Savannah
Odd Fellows Organize Division"
The Odd Fellows National Benefit Asso-
citation is the name of society incorporated
under the laws of Ohio Sept 10, 1885.
The incorporators announced as a funda-
mental principle of the organization that
none but Odd Fellows would be permit
ted to quaff the stream of benihcence
flowing, like the healing waters Of old, from
the fountain-head in Cincinnati, and even
these only after a strict medical examination
and the deposit of a reasonable number of
dollars. Thew compiled an elaborate con-
stitution and sent out missionaries among
the Odd Fellows to gather IN converts.
THE ORGANIZATION.
The five men composing this benevolent
Institution are all residents of Cincinnati,
and two of them, the President and Secre-
tary, lawyers of that city, having offices in
the same building. Vacancies i'll the COM
pany are filed by the remaining corporators,
thus leaving no room for interlopers or here
ties making it, in fact, a close corporation
a sort of family gathering. Their first official
act was the preparation of the constitution
referred to; the second, the election of
officers, president, vice president, secre-
tive board of three. They selected
as their President and Secretary
the two lawyers having contiguous offices
in the johnson building-Messrs A. NJ.
Warner and L. X Torbet; James T. De-
Mar, as Vice President; DR.. Amplius NJ.
Countryman, as Medical Director, leaving
the Executive Board of three to be filed by
the remaining member, James r. p Brown,
who, it appears, is the colossus of the insti-
tuition. As the Executive Board of three,
Brown is powerful factor in the Board of
Trustees, which consists of the President
Vice President, Secretary, Medical Director
with the Executive Board of three.
CONVERTING GEORGIA.
This benevolent institution sent mis-
sionary 10 Georgia some time ago for the
purpose of organizing divisions in the local
centres Of Odd Fellows. After exhausting
the recruiting material of Atlanta, Macon
and many of the interior towns, he arrived
IN Savannah and held a series of protracted
meetings among the brethren. As the re-
suit of one weeks work a division consist
ing OF twenty-one members, who contrib
uted in the aggregate something over $3.50
to secure to their families that immunity
from the terrors of death which these five
philanthropic Cincinnati gentlemen so
abundantly promised to furnish, was organ
lied
In due time the insurance policies, or
benefit cards as they are styled, were for
~arded from Cincinnati by mail and were
rendered to the members of the DIVISION
Who, with surprising unanimity declined to
accept them. The stream of benificence
was tainted with decidedly flshy odor, and
an analysis of its waters revealed impuri-
tles powerfully suggestive of-to place it
mlldIy-want of administrative capacity at
the fotlntain-head The faces of these cards
Were lair to look upon, promising as they
n -, Il.
each of the insured 81 900 when death
should claim the bread-winner. They rec
commended the insured brother to the friend
snip and protection of the members of the
I Odd Fellows National Benefit Association,
3 z e., to the friendship and protection of the
I'VE fncorporators in their corporate, col
[ectiEie and individual and official capacities
ahcluding the triune individual comprising
the Executive Board.
FATAL CONDITIONS.
A closer examination of the seemingly
fair face of these cards revealed a blemish
which Rendered nugatory all their bright as
surances It required the beneficiaries to
accept them subject to the conditions and
limitations expressed, in very fine type, on
the backs thereof, and these conditions, to
declpher which the writer was compelled to
use magnifying glass; are briefly but
truthfully expressed as follows:
The insurance granted by the Odd Fellows
National Benefit Association shall be void in any
EirSt---If the insured shall die as result of
any bodily infirmity or disease, existing either
prior or subsequent to the date of the card.
ySecond-H he shall die by reason Of any sur
gcal operation, or as result of any medical or
mechanical treatment.
Third-If death result from the use or hand.
ling of gunpowder, or other explosive substance,
by lifting or by over-eXertion, or result of
any var, riot or invasion. no matter how free
from blame his conduct may prove to have been,
the insurance is void
Fourth--H death result from poison admin
istered in any manner or form, no matter how
or by whom; whether it be the innocent error
of physician. druggist or nurse, or by the de
sign of some evlhearted person. In either
event the insurance is void.
fifth-lf the insured be sick, and does not
take promptly the medicine prescribed by the
attending physician or medical advisor of the
association, and death ensue, whether a re-
suit of such failure or not, the insurance is for
feited.
This latter clause, in connection with the
prior provision that no insurance shall be
due If death result from medical treatment
was highly amusing to the brethren of thu
Savannah division.
ONLY TWO WAYS TO DIE.
In truth, the restrictive conditions are
so numerous that a careful examination dis
closed only two modes of exit left to tn,
holders Of these cards: One-death from
tightening stroke-looms up like bright
green oasis in this desert of life insurance
but even this faint privilege is neutralizeC
by another of these abominable diamond
type conditions-the ''shall not expose him
self to unnecessary danger clause-as seek
ing shelter from a tree, the boughs of which
might be utilized as a lightning conductor
thus carrying death to the unsuspecting
perhaps careless, Odd Fellow sitting on TIN
roots might he construed as such exposure
The only other mode of departure left unde
which the insurance would not be lost, il
death from old age, in the presence of
physician who neither directs nor prescribe.
for the departing Odd Fellow, but stands 10y
the bedside as simple witness to the pro
Cess OF dissolution conducted by old Fathe
Time himself. Those are the reasons VIII,
the members of the Savannah
division concluded that they die
not want any insurance from
the Cincinnati Benefit Association
The council of five or seven If the Execu
tive Board be counted as three, wer,
promptly notified of this declination of tn,
Savannah division to accept the policie
under the printed conditions attached ant
were called upon to refund the money
collected; but the association WIS no
disposed either to return the money or with
hold from these brethren the benefits o. tn,
4. IL